Alex Potter
by FoveroKaiExypno
Summary: There are a lot of these, but this one's different, I promise! Please read and review! Harry has a twin sister that no one knows even existed... See what happens in the classic story with a twist. Story is better than summary, for real, so please read!
1. I Exist?

**A/N: Yup. I know what you're thinking. ANOTHER Harry Potter Story? Really? Well, I promise, this one's way different. You won't see another one like it, so just read it and review it. Please. See? I was even being polite, saying please and everything.**

Ch. 1

Alex's POV

You know who I am? No? Of course not. No one does. Well, to start with, I'm Harry_ freaking_ Potter's twin sister. I know what you're thinking. _Harry Potter doesn't have a twin sister!_ But he does. And I happen to be her.

Harry doesn't know about me. No one does. Not even the Ministry of Magic. How do I know this? Because I do magic all the time, ever since I was about six and a half. I use magic for practically everything.

You may be wondering what I look like, what with me already telling you about my personal life and whatnot. Well, I look exactly like Harry, except for two things: 1. I'm a girl; and 2. My scar is on the side of my neck instead of my forehead. Yep, I have black hair, green eyes, I even used to wear the same kind of glasses that he does, but not anymore. My vision perfected itself. Yes, weird, but true.

No one knows I exist. I've fended for myself ever since my parents were killed. I don't know why no one found me after the murder, but they didn't. They only found Harry. _The Boy Who Lived_. Ugh.

I'm eleven. I already know how to get food for myself. I already know the dangers of the world. I know a lot. I know more than most kids my age. I feel like I'm much older than eleven. I feel... I feel _weathered_, worn out. Well, who in my position _wouldn't?_ I live on the roof of some building in Diagon Ally, for Pete's sake!

I see Harry in newspapers all the time. The murder was ten years ago, and he's still getting tons of publicity from it. Not even close to fair.

Earlier, I saw Hagrid walking through here with Harry. They were getting ready to go to Hogwarts, I just knew it. I'm going to go, too. No one sent me a letter or anything (considering I don't legally exist), but I'm going anyway. I stole a_ very_ fine broomstick earlier this week just for this occasion.

I got my stuff ready and strapped on my backpack, since that's all I had. I jumped on the broomstick and went to the train station, taking care that I was high in the clouds where regular people wouldn't see me. I saw the cherry red train leave the station and I followed it, but got behind about halfway through. So I simply followed the tracks, as if it were the Yellow Brick Road.

Finally, I was there. I landed neatly on the front steps of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I had just bypassed all of the magical forces that should've kept me out. Huh. Wonder how I did that, 'cause I really have no clue.

I went in the humungous doors. I heard voices and smelled food coming from somewhere and followed it. I came into a big cafeteria-like place. There were four tables: one for each house. I know a lot about Hogwarts. Everyone went silent and all eyes were turned on me, the newcomer and late arrival who disrupted their wonderful dinner.

"Who are you?" Dumbledore said, standing up from the head table.

"If I told you, you wouldn't believe me," I answered, from all the way across the room.

"What are you doing here? Did you receive a letter? I don't remember sending one to someone like you..."

"No, I did not receive a letter."

He gave me a look of incredulity. "How did you get in here?"

I held up my broomstick. "I flew."

"How old are you?"

"Eleven."

"Um. What is your name?"

"Alex."

"Last name?"

"You wouldn't believe me even if I was going to tell you of my own free will."

"Where are your parents?"

I could feel my face grow stony. "Dead."

"Both of them?"

"Yes. They're both_ dead."_

"Who takes care of you?"

"_Who takes care of me?_ I do."

"Where do you live?"

"On the roof of a building in Diagon Ally."

"What is your last name?"

"I'm telling you, you won't believe me."

"Do you have any living relatives?"

I actually laughed. "I sure do."

"Who?"

"You still won't believe me."

"Who are you?" Dumbledore demanded.

"Are you sure you want to know?"

"Yes. Now, tell me!"

"Will it end this stupid, completely pointless interrogation?"

He just glared at me, which was something to be afraid of; Dumbledore is not a man who glares often or over trivial things. When he glares, it'll scare you at the very least half to death.

"My name is Alex Potter. Yes, I just said _Potter_. I'm Harry Potter's twin sister," I said loudly and matter-of-factly for the whole school to hear.

**A/N: So, guys, please review and tell me what you think! Yes, anonomous reviews ARE accepted, just REVIEW! Please. There I go with my manners again...**


	2. Sorting

**A/N: I know, just 'cause I'm awesome, I'm gonna post another one or maybe more in the same night O.O awesome :P PLEASE READ AND REVIEW PLEASE**

Ch. 2

Alex's POV

There was silence.

Then, Harry's voice rang out, "But that's impossible. I don't have a sister."

"Not that you know of," I said harshly. "Not that anyone knows of, actually."

"What do you mean, 'not that anyone knows of'?" Dumbledore demanded.

"I mean," I snarled, "that no one even knew I existed before now. No. One. Not even the stupid Ministry of Magic."

"You don't have a scar!" a brunette girl from the same table that Harry was sitting at said.

"I have one. Just not in the same place as the boy wonder over there," I said.

"Prove it," the girl said.

I pulled my shoulder length black, slightly wavy/curly hair away from the sie of my neck where my lightening shaped scar was. There was a collective gasp. I pulled my hair back over the scar. Everyone started muttering and whispering to each other, even the professors. I caught snippets of conversations.

"-it's just like Harry's-"

"-she even looks like him-"

"-same eyes and everything-"

"-I knew it the whole time-"_ Sure you did, kid,_ I thought.

"-how has she been living-"

"-she's filthy-"

I looked down at myself. Well, I was kind of gross. I had dirty, weathered, tattered old clothes, and I hadn't aken a shower in a few days. How do I take showers? I sneak in peoples houses (yes, there are houses in Diagon Ally; they're above the shops) and I take them.

"-it's impossible-"

"-wonder if she acts like him-"

"-looks like a bum-"

_I can hear you people all talking about me!_ I thought._ But I didn't say anything. I just looked out the window, trying to hear what everyone was saying about me._

Finally, Dumbledore stood once again and quieted everyone. "Miss Potter, Mister Potter, would you kindly come with me to my office."

Harry looked confused, but he got up and followed anyway. _Stupid boy_, I thought. I followed Harry after a moment's hesitation.

Once we were in Dumbledore's office, he got right down to business.

"How can no one knows about you?" he asked immediately.

"Simple. No one ever found me after the murder. I almost starved to death in the ruins of our house. But I guess I crawled out and found something to eat, eventually. I don't remember much until I was about four. By then, I could fend for myself. I didn't have magic. I was on the streets by myself," I explained. "I stole food. I begged for food. I dug in dumpsters for food. And I starved. When I was about six and a half, I stole this wand," I took out my wand from my coat pocket, "from Olivander's. I don't have a Trace on me. I know because I've been doing magic ever since then, and no one has ever come for me." I smiled wryly, "If you've been hearing about a burglar in Diagon Ally, that would be me."

"As a matter of fact, I _have_ been hearing reports about a burglar," Dumbledore said wonderingly.

Harry was speechless. "Harry?" I asked.

"Shouldn't you be sorted out?" he said.

"Yes, yes," Dumbledore mumbled. He got a worn old hat out and put it on my head. It sank down to where it was almost covering my mouth. I heard a voice in my ear.

"Hmmmm... Hufflepuff maybe? No, no... Ravenclaw perhaps? Possibly. Slytherin? Gryffindor? Those three are pretty equally matched... Hmmmmmmmmmm... No, not Ravenclaw... Slytherin or Gryffindor? Which do you want?"

_Which do I want? I don't know! Which is better suited for me?_ I thought.

"Which is better suited for you?" the voice asked._ Oh, my gosh. It heard my thoughts_. "Well, Gryffindor is loyal, brave, usually humble, though not always; they tend to be characterized by being the most unusual people, though don't tell anyone you heard that from me. Slytherin is greedy, unfaithful, proud, as the students would say; but they're also cunning, clever, slick, and use their abilities to their full extent, pushing themselves usually harder than other students. You have many traits that would go under Gryffindor. You have just about as many that would go under Slytherin. Slytherin can take you places, but so can Gryffindor."

_Ummmm, well... I guess Gyffindor, then. But I'm not really sure... _I thought.

"GRYFFINDOR!" the hat yelled loudly. I took it off and handed it to Dumbledore. Harry was smiling. Why was Harry smiling?

"We're in the same house," he said, as if he could hear what I was thinking._ Oh, please let him not actually be able to do that. And I don't want to be in the same house as him... That hat tricked me!_

"Harry, you can take your sister and go back down; dinner should be about finished by now, but maybe Miss Potter can eat something right quick," Dumbledore said.

"Yes, Professor," Harry said. "Come on," he said to me, then turned around. I followed him, but I could feel Dumbledore's intense gaze on my back the whole way out.

**A/N: Yes, I know there a lot of Harry Potter stories. JUST REVIEW. Plus, this one's different. I promise. REVIEWS PLEASE. please. Even anonymous reviews are graciously accepted.**


	3. New 'Friends'

**A/N: Yes sir-y, another one! Please read and review! I'll give you a cookie if you do!**

Ch. 3

Alex's POV

Harry led the way back to the dining hall or whatever they called it. When we got there, almost everyone was finished eating. Harry led me to the Gryffindor table and asked a few people to move over so that I could sit by him. I could feel everyone's stares boring holes into my back. I sat down next to Harry and started pigging out because I was really hungry. I could practically smell some people's disgust at the way I was eating.

"What? You never seen a hungry girl before?" I finally snapped. Everyone still stared at me. I shook my head and went back to my food.

"Um, Alex?" Harry asked.

"Yeah?" I asked after I had swallowed my food.

"When was the last time you ate...?"

"Ummmm..." I took another huge bite of food and chewed thoughtfully. I swallowed. "I think... This morning at about 3 a.m." I took another bite.

"And what did you eat?"

"Trust me, you do _not_ want to know," I said.

"Yeah, I actually do," Harry replied.

"If I tell you, you're going to throw up."

"I won't throw up. I have a strong stomach," the brunette girl that had called me out on my scar earlier said.

"And you are...?" I asked, finishing a few bites.

"Hermione Granger. Pleased to meet you. _I_ want to know what you ate," she answered.

"_I_ nearly throw up when I_ think_ about it, and I'm the one who _ate_ it. _You're_ definitely going to throw up if I tell you," I said, still, surprisingly, eating.

"Where did you get it, then?" Harry asked.

"The same place I get most of my food," I said evasively, trying not to let them know how horrible my life really could be at some points.

"And where is that?"

"Are you _sure_ you want to know?" I asked, hoping that the answer was no. I was very aware of everyone in the room listening to, or at least trying to listen to, our conversation.

"Yes."

"The dumpster," I muttered so quietly that no one heard. It was barely more than a whisper

"What? I couldn't hear you."

"The dumpster," I said a bit louder. But only a few people heard because I was still saying it very quietly.

Harry, Hermione, and a few red haired boys all sitting around me looked disgusted, like they'd never heard of a dumpster as being an appropriate place for a person to eat (because it's not).

"That's disgusting!" the youngest red haired boy said.

"You'd be surprised at what you'd eat when you're starving to death. Literally. I doubt that any of you know what the real meaning of starving is," I said. "You've probably been hungry, but I highly doubt that any of you have actually been_ starving_."

"But- But that's what people throw out! Because it's no good!" the boy protested.

"Then you'd be very surprised at the things that people throw out. You people waste too much. Most of that stuff hadn't even gone bad," I said.

"That's really nasty," Hermione commented.

"You get used to it when you get that or nothing, and you never know... You might not get food the next couple days, so take what you can get to stay alive," I said.

"How do you stay clean?"

"I sneak in people's houses and take showers."

"Where do you live?" another of the red haired boys asked. He was a couple years older than me and there was a boy that looked exactly like him sitting next to him.

"On a roof in Diagon Ally," I said. I started eating my food again, and the guys took the hint that I didn't want to talk about it anymore.

I finally got finished eating and all the food cleared away magically. Right after that, Dumbledore came back and stood at his position at the head table. He clapped his hands loudly to get everyone's attention.

"Well! It seems as if we have a new, unexpected student, Alex Potter. She is in Gryffindor, as I'm sure you've seen by now. Now, prefects please lead their house to their dormatories. Good night, everyone," Dumbledore said. _As if, _I thought. I've never had a good night since I was one.

**A/N: Please review! And check out this other story called Like Brother, Like Sister. I've heard it's real good. :)**


	4. Potions Makes an Impression

**A/N: I'd just like to point out to you guys that the point of views (POV) _do _change. Quite often, in fact. You might want to pay attention to those. Just saying, it might help, just a little.**

Ch. 4

Harry's POV

I have sister. I have a _twin_ sister. _I still can't get used to that_. It's been two days since I got here, since I found out that I have a sister. And I seriously cannot get used to it after two days. I don't think I'm ever going to get used to it.

Anyway, today we have double potions with Snape. Ugh. I thought that he disliked me the first time he looked at me.

I was completely wrong.

He_ hates_ me.

We got into potions and Snape took roll. When he got to Alex he halted a moment and looked up at her. He did the same to me. It was not comfortable at all in a classroom with that type of atmosphere.

"Ah, yes," Snape said softly. "Harry Potter. The more famous of our new - celebrity students." Draco Malfoy and his two friends Crabbe and Goyle stifled snickers behind their hands.

He gave a little speech about potions and the introduction to them. "Mister Potter!" he said suddenly. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"_ Powdered root of what to an infusion of what?_ I glanced at Ron, but he seemed just about as confused as I was. Hermione's hand shot into the air.

"I don't know, sir," I said.

Snape sneered. "Tut, tut - fame clearly isn't everything." He ignored Hermione's hand._ "Miss Potter!"_ Alex jumped and glanced around. She had been daydreaming...again."Miss Potter, where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?" Hermione's hand went as high as it could without leaving her seat.

Alex frowned. "In the stomach of a goat. Trust me, you do not want to have to get one of those out. It's almost as nasty as eating out of the dumpster, and believe me, I know how disgusting that can be." Hermione looked disappointed as well as grossed out and so put her hand back down.

_Now, how did Alex know that?_ I thought. _I haven't the faintest idea what a bezoar is._

Snape looked surprised. He moved back to me. "Do you know if that is the correct answer, Potter?"

"No, sir."

"Thought you wouldn't open a book before coming, eh, Potter?"

I forced myself to keep looking straight into those cold eyes. I had looked through my books at the Dursleys', but did Snape expect me to remember everything in One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi? Snape was still ignoring Hermione's quivering hand. "What is the difference, Potter, between monkshood and wolfsbane?" At this, Hermione stood up, her hand stretching toward the dungeon ceiling. _Really, Hermione? _I thought in exasperation.

"I don't know," I said quietly. "I think Hermione does, though, why don't you try her?" A few people laughed; I caught Seamus's eye and he winked.

Snape, however, was the opposite of pleased. "Sit down," he snapped at Hermione. "For your information, Potter, asphodel and wormwood make asleeping potion so powerful it is known as the Draught of Living Death. Miss Potter was correct about the bezoar. As for monkshood and wolfsbane, they are the same plant, which also goes by the name of aconite. Well? Why aren't you all copying that down?" There was a sudden rummaging for quills and parchment. Over the noise, Snape said, "And a point will be taken from Gryffindor House for your cheek, Potter."

I was astonished. _Whaaaaaaaaaaaat? But Alex got one right! She should get a point for getting one right if I'm getting a point taken away for getting two wrong._

Things didn't improve for the Gryffindors as the Potions lesson continued. Snape put us all into pairs and made us mix up a 'simple' potion to cure boils. Me and Ron were a pair, and Hermione and Alex were a pair. Snape swept around in his long black cloak, watching us all weigh dried nettles and crush snake fangs, criticizing almost everyone except Malfoy and Alex, whom he seemed to actually like. He was just telling everyone to look at the perfect way Malfoy had stewed his horned slugs when clouds of acid green smoke and a loud hissing filled the dungeon. Neville had somehow managed to melt Seamus's cauldron into a twisted blob, and their potion was seeping across the stone floor, burning holes in people's shoes. Within seconds, the whole class was standing on their stools while Neville, who had been drenched in the potion when the cauldron collapsed, moaned in pain as angry red boils sprangup all over his arms and legs.

"Idiot boy!" snarled Snape, clearing the spilled potion away with one wave of his wand. "I suppose you added the porcupine quills before taking the cauldron off the fire?" Neville whimpered as boils started to pop up all over his nose. "Take him up to the hospital wing," Snape spat at Seamus. Then he rounded on Ron and I, who had been working next to Neville. "You -Potter- why didn't you tell him not to add the quills? Thought he'd make you look good if he got it wrong, did you? That's another point you've lost for Gryffindor."

This was so unfair that I opened my mouth to argue, but Ron kicked me behind out cauldron. "Don't push it," he muttered, "I've heard Snape can turn _very_ nasty when he gets angry."

_Why does Snape hate me so much? And why does he actually like Alex if he hates me?_ was what I was thinking as I climbed out of the dungeon when class finally finished for the day.

**A/N: REVIEW PRETTY PLEASE! And why don't you check out this one story, it's called TOXIC. I've heard it's really one of the best stories on here ;P**


	5. Trouble Seems To Find Me

**A/N: Yuppers, already another one. Insane, right? I'm just amazing like that. :P Reviews please?**

Ch. 5

Alex's POV

Snape seemed to like me. It was weird. He looked like he hated Harry, but had completely the opposite feelings towards me. Well, not to brag, but I am really good at potions. And Harry just...isn't. I guess I got all the talent in that particular subject.

But Hermione... She seems really nice, and she wants to help, and she likes me for me, not because I'm famous(ish) or the twin sister of a famous person. But the problem is, she's bossy. She's _wayyyy_ bossy. And she thinks she knows _everything_, and she's pretty close to it, but she doesn't. I know she wants to help, but, well, I don't need her help. At All

After double potions, Harry and Ron went to Hagrid's shack for tea or something. Harry wanted me to come with, but I said that I'd rather not. It sounded boring to me. I went back to the common room and saw the Weasley twins working on something... It was curiously suspicious._ I wonder what they're doing..._

But before I could go investigate, some guys stopped me. There were three, and they were looking at me weirdly. I didn't recognize the look in any way. But they all seemed kind of nervous. I think one of them was named Neville Longbottom, another was Dean Thomas, and the last one was Seamus Finnigan. It was Seamus who spoke, though. The others were just watching the whole time.

"Can I help you?" I asked, totally confused.

"Alex. Um, _well_, can I ask you something?" Seamus said.

"You just did," I said. He looked flustered and even more nervous. I didn't get it. But I smiled and said, "But yes, you can ask me something else. It was just a joke."

He brushed it off. Sort of. "Well, I was just wondering..." He trailed off. Then he shook his head. "No, it's stupid. Forget it."

"Tell me," I said. Now he got me curious.

"No, it's stupid. Just forget it."

"I will not 'forget it'. Now, tell me what you were going to say."

"Well... I was wondering if you would go out with me," he said very quickly.

I was shocked. My jaw actually dropped. I felt my face start to burn. "You say _what_ now?" I asked disbelievingly, and stood there gaping at him. "Did you just say what I_ think_ I heard you say?"

Before Seamus could answer, the two Weasley brothers saw me and came over to the little group.

"Hey, Alex. These boys bothering you? We can get rid of them if you want," Fred said. Or, at least, I thought it was Fred. It may have been George. I can't ever tell the difference between the two because I hadn't learned how yet from Ron.

"No, no," I said a little too quickly. "It's fine. They're not bothering me at all."

The twins exchanged glances. "You said that pretty quickly," the second one said, I think it was George. "What's going on over here?" He sounded suspicious

_"Nothing,"_ I said forcefully. "Go away."

"I'm not ready to leave yet. Are you, George?" the first one asked. Okay, so I was right about which ones they were, because George wouldn't be asking himself that.

"No, Fred, I am not," George said. They both looked at me. "So, what were you talking about?"

"None of your business," I said. They were about to argue when I said, "I'm going to hurt you if you ask any more questions and don't get out of here right now."

They started laughing. "What can you do?" Fred got out between laughs.

"You're just a little girl!" George finished for him.

"Oh, what can _I_ do?" I said quietly. My hands balled up into fists. I hated people underestimating me just because I'm a little girl. It comes in handy sometimes, but it annoys the heck out of me. I completely forgot about my wand because I was used to fighting with only my body, and that was how I was going to fight now. I swung one of my _little_ fists and made contact with Fred's stomach. He immediately doubled over, clutching his stomach, groaning in pain. George stopped laughing and looked at me, partially offended and partially fearful. Fred straightened up, wheezing.

"How-" Fred broke off because of his labored breathing. "How...is such...a small girl...so _strong?"_

"I had to live on the streets, remember? I had to learn to fight and take care of myself when I was young," I said. We talked a bit more about trivial matters, then they left. They hadn't asked me one more question about what we were talking about. Good decision on their part.

I turned back to the guys. They were just staring at me in shock. Then, Dean said to Seamus, "Sure you want to be her boyfriend? If you break her heart, she'll most likely break your neck." He was teasing, of course, but it was true. If he broke my heart, I _would_ break his neck. And Harry would probably help me... Then again, Harry will probably break his neck even if he _doesn't_ break my heart.

Seamus just nodded. I smiled shyly at him, and I felt heat flush my face once again. "Yes," I said very quietly.

"Did she just say-" Neville was cut off by Dean.

"Oh, yeah, she did, she definitely did."

Seamus just looked completely shocked. "Really?"

"Yeah," I said.

"I bet you've been on a lot of dates before."

I felt my face getting redder and redder by the second. "No, I haven't. I haven't been on even one."

He seamed even more shocked at this. "What? But, you're really pretty and smart and funny..."

"Yeah, well, I've lived on top of a building in Diagon Ally my whole life and no one even knew I existed, so..." I trailed off.

"Yeah, I guess that would affect someone's dating life," he said.

I smiled and almost laughed. "It does have a lot of effect."

They talked for a little while, then it was time for dinner. Harry and Ron joined us on the way down, and I almost went to say hi to them, but they looked preoccupied, so I just stuck with Seamus and his friends.

"Hey, Potter!" a kid with white-blonde hair called. He was with the Slytherins and he had two huge boys on either side of him. I think his name was Draco Malfoy. He makes fun of Harry all the time. He's also one of Snape's favorites.

Both me and Harry looked over. Draco had never called me out before, but I didn't know if he was going to start doing that. I saw that Draco was looking at Harry, though.

"What, Malfoy?" Harry asked wearily. He looked at Draco with a look of complete loathing.

But before Malfoy could say anything, Snape showed up. We went ahead into the dining hall thing. I never learned the right name for it... Ah, who cares, anyway.

_**~~~The Next Day~~~**_

Harry's POV

I had never believed I would meet a boy I hated more than Dudley, but that was before I met Draco Malfoy. Still, first-year Gryffindors only had Potions with the Slytherins, so we didn't have to put up with Malfoy much. Or, at least, we didn't until we spotted a notice pinned up in the Gryffindor common room that made us all groan. Flying lessons would be starting on Thursday (not the bad part) - Gryffindor and Slytherin would be learning together.

"Typical," I said darkly. "Just what I always wanted. To make a fool of myself on a broomstick in front of Malfoy." I had been looking forward to learning to fly more than anything else, and now it was going to be ruined by that moron.

"You don't know that you'll make a fool of yourself, " said Ron reasonably. "Anyway, I know Malfoy's always going on and on about how good he is at Quidditch, but I bet that's all talk."

Malfoy certainly did talk about flying a lot. He complained loudly about first years never getting on the house Quidditch teams and told long, boastful stories that always seemed to end with him narrowly escaping Muggles in helicopters. He wasn't the only one, though: the way Seamus Finnigan told it, he'd spent most of his childhood zooming around the countryside on his broomstick. Even Ron would tell anyone who'd listen about the time he'd almost hit a hang glider on Charlie's old broom. Everyone from wizarding families talked about Quidditch _constantly._

"Harry, you won't make a fool of yourself," Alex said to me. "Not to brag or anything, but if you have half the talent on a broomstick that I do, then you'll be a great flyer. Who knows, they might even bend some rules for you and get you on the Quidditch team." I looked at her doubtfully.

Ron had already had a big argument with Dean Thomas, who shared their dormitory, about soccer. Ron couldn't see what was exciting about a game withonly one ball where no one was allowed to fly. I had caught Ron prodding Dean's poster of West Ham soccer team, trying to make the players move. Neville had never been on a broomstick in his life because his grandmother had never let him near one. Privately, I felt she'd had good reason, because Neville managed to have an extraordinary number of accidents even with both feet on the ground. Hermione Granger was almost as nervous about flying as Neville was. This was something you couldn't learn by heart out of a book - not that she hadn't _tried_. At breakfast on Thursday she bored us all stupid with flying tips she'd gotten out of a library book called Quidditch Through the Ages. Neville was hanging on to her every word, desperate for anything that might help him hang on to his broomstick later, but everybody else was very pleased when Hermione's lecture was interrupted by the arrival of the mail.

I hadn't had a single letter since Hagrid's note, something that Malfoy had been quick to notice, of course. Malfoy's eagle owl was always bringing him packages of sweets from home, which he opened gloatingly at the Slytherin table. A barn owl brought Neville a small package from his grandmother. He opened it excitedly and showed them a glass ball the size of a large marble, which seemed to be full of white smoke. "It's a Remembrall!" he explained. "Gran knows I forget things - this tells you if there's something you've forgotten to do. Look, you hold it tight like this and if it turns red - oh... " His face fell, because the Remembrall had suddenly glowed scarlet, "-you've forgotten something... " Neville was trying to remember what he'd forgotten when Draco Malfoy, who was passing the Gryffindor table, snatched the Remembrall out of his hand.

Alex, Ron and I all jumped to our feet. We were all half hoping for a reason to fight Malfoy, but Professor McGonagall, who could spot trouble quicker than any teacher in the school, was there in a flash.

"What's going on?" the professor asked.

"Malfoy's got my Remembrall, Professor," Neville explained.

Scowling, Malfoy quickly dropped the Remembrall back on the table. "Just looking, " he said, and he sloped away with Crabbe and Goyle behind him.

Alex's POV

At 3:30 this afternoon, we're gonna have flying lessons! I can't wait. I mean, I already know how to fly and stuff, but flying is fun, and I can show off to people! And I can see just how good Harry is. Yesterday when I said if he was half as good as I am that he'll be great, I wasn't kidding. And I think Harry may even be better than me. But I'm kinda hoping he's not, 'cause I LOVE flying. I'm kind of a show off, but meh. _I can't wait!_

__**A/N: Hope you liked it. Tell me in a review whether you did or not. Are you excited for the flying lessons? I am! Why don't you check out this story called The Kid while you're waiting for the next chapter to come out. I've been hearing great things about that story.**


	6. Fly or Fall

Ch. 6

Alex's POV

At 3:30 that afternoon, me, Harry, Ron, and the other Gryffindors hurried down the front steps onto the grounds for our first flying lesson. It was a clear, breezy day, and the grass rippled under our feet as we marched down the sloping lawns toward a smooth, flat lawn on the opposite side of the grounds to the forbidden forest, whose trees were swaying darkly in the distance. The Slytherins were already there, and so were a bunch of broomsticks lying in neat lines on the ground. I had heard Fred and George Weasley complain about the school brooms, saying that some of them started to vibrate if you flew too high, or always flew slightly to the left. I brought my own, so that problem was fixed, for me at least. First years weren't supposed to have their own brooms with them, but I kind of rode mine here, so I guess I was an exception. And, *bonus*, mine was one of the best around, called a Nimbus Two Thousand.

Then our teacher, Madam Hooch, arrived. She had short, gray hair, and yellow eyes like a hawk.

"Well, what are you all waiting for?" she barked. "Everyone stand by a broomstick. Come on, hurry up." She looked at me and saw my broomstick in my hand. "You already have a broomstick?" she asked incredulously.

I nodded.

"You said you were homeless and have no money, though. Not to mention that your existence was clouded from even the Ministry of Magic," she said, disbelief apparent in her voice. "How do you have a..." She looked at the label thing-a-ma-jig. Her eyes looked like they were going to pop out of their sockets. "A Nimbus Two Thousand!" Everyone looked at me, and some kids looked like they were going to have heart attacks...others just looked, well, murderous.

"I, uh, _acquired_ it from someone," I said.

"'Acquired'? If I didn't know any better, I would say that you _stole_ it," Madam Hooch said.

"Me? _Steal?_ Pfft," I said. But -I know, this is supreme shock material- there are time when I'm a fairly bad actor... Now just so happened to be one of those times. "Okay, so I stole it."

"We do_ not_ tolerate stealing at this school," the teacher said.

"Well, I didn't steal it from anyone here. I stole it about four months ago," I said. "And, well, I used to steal all the time. I didn't have any food...or water...or clothes...or pretty much _anything_. How else do you think someone who's not even supposed to _exist_ is gonna_ live_?"

She glared for a moment, but turned around. I made a face at her back, but when she turned around again, I smiled sweetly at her. Some kids snickered, including Harry, Ron, Hermione, Seamus, Dean, Neville, and to my surprise, Draco Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle.

I glanced down at Harry's broom. It was obviously very old, with twigs randomly sicking out at weird angles. "Stick out your right hand over your broom," Madam Hooch called out, "and say 'Up!"

"UP!" everyone shouted at the same time. Lemme just say, headache! Harry's, mine, and Draco's brooms all jumped into our hands at once, but ours were pretty much the only ones that did what they were supposed to. Hermione's simply rolled over on the ground; Neville's hadn't moved at all. _Perhaps brooms, like horses, could tell when you were afraid_, I thought; there was a quiver in Neville's voice that said only too clearly that he wanted to keep his feet on the _ground_.

Madam Hooch then showed us how to mount our brooms without sliding off the end -get your mind out of the gutter!-, and walked up and down the rows correcting each one of our grips. Harry and Ron were suspiciously delighted when she told Malfoy that he had been doing it wrong for years.

"Now, when I blow my whistle, you kick off from the ground, hard," said Madam Hooch. "Keep your brooms steady, rise a few feet, and then come straight back down by leaning forward slightly. On my whistle - three - two - "

But Neville, nervous and jumpy and frightened of being left on the ground, pushed off hard before the whistle had even touched Madam Hooch's lips. "Come back, boy!" she shouted, but Neville was rising straight up like a cork shot out of a bottle - twelve feet - twenty feet. I saw his scared white face look down at the ground falling away, saw him gasp, slip sideways off the broom and - _WHAM_ - a thud and a nasty crack and Neville lay facedown on the grass in a heap. His broomstick was still rising higher and higher, and started to drift lazily toward the forbidden forest and out of sight. Madam Hooch was bending over Neville, her face as white as his.

"Broken wrist," I heard her mutter. "Come on, boy - it's all right, up you get." She turned to the rest of the class. "None of you is to move while I take this boy to the hospital wing! You leave those brooms where they are or you'll be out of Hogwarts before you can say 'Quidditch.' Come on, dear." Neville, his face tear-streaked, clutching his wrist, hobbled off with Madam Hooch, who had her arm around him.

No sooner were they out of earshot than Draco Malfoy burst into laughter. "Did you see his face, the great lump?" The other Slytherins joined in, making fun of poor Neville.

"Shut up, Malfoy, " snapped Parvati Patil.

"Ooh, sticking up for Longbottom?" said Pansy Parkinson, a hard-faced (and stupid, I might add) Slytherin girl. "Never thought _you'd_ like fat little crybabies, Parvati."

"Look!" said Malfoy, darting forward and snatching something out of the grass. "It's that stupid thing Longbottom's gran sent him." The Remembrall glittered in the sun as he held it up.

"Give that here, Malfoy," said Harry quietly. Of course, since it was Potter vs. Malfoy, everyone stopped talking to watch what was going to happen.

Malfoy smiled nastily. "I think I'll leave it somewhere for Longbottom to find - how about-up a tree?"

"Give it," I butted in. Malfoy looked at me for a second and seemed to start to reconsider, but then he looked at Harry and his expression lost all emotion other than the desire to humiliate and mortify.

"Give it here!" Harry yelled, but Malfoy leapt onto his broomstick and taken off.

He hadn't been lying, he could fly well. Hovering level with the top-most branches of an oak he called, "Come and get it, Potter!"

Harry grabbed his broom. "No!" shouted Hermione Granger. "Madam Hooch told us not to move - you'll get us _all_ into trouble."

Harry ignored her. I knew how he felt; blood must've been just _pounding_ in his ears. He mounted the broom and kicked hard against the ground and up he soared; air rushed through his hair, and his robes whipped out behind him. He pulled his broomstick up a little to take it even higher, and girls screamed and gasped and Ron gave an admiring whoop.

"I told you so, Harry!" I screamed up at him triumphantly. He looked down at me and smiled. Then he turned his broomstick sharply to face Malfoy in midair. Malfoy looked positively_ stunned._

"Give it here," Harry called, "or I'll knock you off that broom!"

Yep, I'm amazed I heard what they said, too. I don't know how, but don't question it. It's awesome.

"Oh, yeah?" said Malfoy, trying to sneer, but instead looking worried. Harry apparently knew, somehow, what to do. He leaned forward and grasped the broom tightly in both hands, and it shot toward Malfoy like a javelin. Malfoy only just barely got out of the way in time; Harry made a sharp about-face and held the broom steady. A few people around me were clapping.

"No Crabbe and Goyle up here to save your neck, Malfoy," Harry called. The same thought seemed to have struck Malfoy, and he had a look of panic on his face for a moment, quickly replaced by a mask of indifference as he came to a cunning conclusion.

"Catch it if you can, then!" he shouted, and he threw the glass ball high into the air and streaked back toward the ground. I saw, as though in slow motion, the ball rise up in the air and then start to fall; I had a feeling Harry did, too -after all, we were twins. I watched on the (metaphorical) edge of my seat ('cause I wasn't sitting down, I was standing) as he leaned forward and pointed his broom handle down - in the next second, he was gathering speed in a steep dive, racing the ball - people were screaming, in excitement or terror, I didn't know, nor did I care - Harry stretched out his hand - only a foot from the ground he caught it, just in time to pull his broom straight and topple gently onto the grass with the Remembrall clutched in his fist.

I smiled. Then I heard, "HARRY POTTER!" My heart sank faster than he'd just dived, which was almost impossible. Professor McGonagall was running towards us. Harry got to his feet, trembling. "Never - in all my time at Hogwarts-" Professor McGonagall was almost speechless with shock, and her glasses flashed furiously, "-how dare you- might have broken your neck- "

"It wasn't his fault, Professor-"

"Be quiet, Miss Patil."

"But Malfoy-"

"That's enough, Mr. Weasley. Potter, follow me, now." I caught sight of Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle's victorious-looking faces as he and Professor McGonagall strode toward the castle.

I though for a minute, then decided on something. "Professor McGonagoll!" I yelled. She turned back.

"What is it, Miss Potter?" she asked sharply. But I wasn't afraid of her...like, at all.

"May I come with you?" I asked 'sweetly'.

She looked surprised. "It's fine with me," she said, and turned back around and started walking towards the castle again. I picked up my broom and started after them. As I was running to catch up to Harry, I caught sight of everyone's faces - they were all shocked.

I caught Seamus's eye and winked. He seemed totally confused.

Professor McGonagall was sweeping along without even peeking just a little bit at either of us; we had to jog just to keep up with her fast pace. I could tell that Harry thought that he had just gotten himself expelled. But I didn't think that McGonagoll would do that. Well, at least, not for something like this situation. She wrenched open doors and marched along corridors with Harry and I trotting behind her. Harry was feeling miserable, I could tell that much just by looking at him. Professor McGonagall stopped outside a classroom. She opened the door and poked her head inside.

**Harry's POV**

"Excuse me, Professor Flitwick, could I borrow Wood for a moment?" Wood? I thought, bewildered; was Wood a cane she was going to use on me? But Wood turned out to be a person, a burly fifth-year boy who came out of Flitwick's class looking confused. "Follow me, you two. I mean three," said Professor McGonagall with a glance at Alex, and they marched on up the corridor, Wood looking curiously at me, and sometimes glancing at Alex. "In here." Professor McGonagall pointed them into a classroom that was empty except for Peeves, who was busy writing rude words on the blackboard. "Out, Peeves!" she barked. Peeves threw the chalk into a bin, which clanged loudly, and he swooped out cursing. Professor McGonagall slammed the door behind him and turned to face the two boys. She pretty much ignored Alex.

**Alex's POV**

She was ignoring me. "Potter, this is Oliver Wood. Wood - I've found you a Seeker." Wood's expression changed from puzzlement to delight in an instant.

"Are you serious, Professor?"

"Absolutely," said Professor McGonagall crisply. "The boy's a natural. I've never seen anything like it. Was that your first time on a broomstick, Potter?" Harry nodded silently. He didn't have a clue what was going on, but I had a suspicion. "He caught that thing in his hand after a fifty-foot dive," Professor McGonagall told Wood excitedly (at least, for her it was excitedly). "Didn't even scratch himself. Charlie Weasley couldn't have done it at his best, on a good day." Wood was now looking as though all his dreams had come true at once.

"Ever seen a game of Quidditch, Potter?" he asked eagerly.

"Wood's captain of the Gryffindor team," Professor McGonagall explained to us -well, mainly Harry...I was just there to be there. "He's just the build for a Seeker, too, " said Wood, now walking around Harry and staring at him. "Light - speedy - we'll have to get him a decent broom, Professor - a Nimbus Two Thousand or a Cleansweep Seven, I'd say."

"I shall speak to Professor Dumbledore and see if we can't bend the first-year rule." McGonagoll finally glanced at me, remembering that we all kind of broke the rule about first-years not being allowed to have their broomsticks at school. "I mean, bend it _again_. Heaven knows, we need a better team than last year. Flattened in that last match by Slytherin, I couldn't look Severus Snape in the face for weeks..." Professor McGonagall peered sternly over her glasses at Harry. "I want to hear you're training hard, Potter, or I may change my mind about punishing you." Then she suddenly smiled. "Your father would have been proud," she said. "He was an excellent Quidditch player himself." After saying those words that made me think that she _must_ be bipolar, McGonagall left.

Wood finally turned curiously to me. "Why are _you_ here?"

"Because I _wanted_ to be," I replied snappily. Wood then spotted the broomstick in my hand. His jaw literally dropped.

"A Nimbus Two Thousand!" He ran over to me and stared at the broom. "It looks better than I ever imagined." He straightened up. "Potter, we're going to have to get you one like your sister's. How did you ever get one?"

"I, uh, _acquired_ it," I said, using the same excuse as before.

"She means that she_ stole_ it," Harry said, dumbing it down. I glared at him.

"You know, if I didn't already have all my team members, I would get you on the team," Wood murmered, ignoring Harry's remark as he looked me up and down, studying me like he did Harry. "Maybe next year. You're bound to have wonderful skills on a broomstick, maybe even more than your brother over there. You're dad was the best Quidditch player Hogwarts has ever seen." He walked off, mumbling about Quidditch something or other.

**A/N: Please review! If you favorite, you have to review... Okay, not really. I just would really like reviews! Pweeease? Look forward to my next chapter, guys! Hope you enjoyed! :P**


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